Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had largely vanished from public view since his forces were driven from the approaches to Kyiv this month, resurfaced on Tuesday to defend his “noble” invasion of Ukraine, saying peace talks had come to a dead end. In a press event inside a hangar at a far eastern space base six time zones from Moscow, Putin rattled off talking points: that Moscow had “no choice” but to intervene to protect separatists, defeat neo-Nazis and “help people”.

So at last the tyrant has had to speak. He has been “helping people” – presumably murdering pregnant women is helping people. Here we see the tyrant at its worst. Hiding behind empty words, it kills and kills, and then lies and lies.

But what to make of it? Satan likes to move in the dark, unseen and deadly. In my experience he does not like being out in the open, and here he is, having to defend himself and his actions. Maybe the cross is slowly pushing a way open. Or maybe this is just an attempt to deceive us while he kills more and destroys more. Keep on your prayer toes. And keep an eye on Korea.